America has a new definition of family, every media outlet seems to be reporting! It’s based on research to be published by Brian Powell, a sociology professor at Indiana University-Bloomington, in Counted Out: Same-Sex Relations and Americans’ Definitions of Family. The New York Times insists “A majority of Americans now say their definition of family includes same-sex couples with children, as well as married gay and lesbian couples,” but that “most Americans do not consider unmarried cohabiting couples, either heterosexual or same-sex, to be a family — unless they have children.” That’s all great and stuff, but there’s still a couple things to knock down your spirits, notes Time:

This data set, based on surveys conducted in 2003 and 2006 (old news, as far as I’m concerned), shows more people are opposed to same-sex marriage (52%) than support it (48%), and also that more Americans believe pets to be family (51%) than gay couples (33%). But if those gay couples are legally married? Then 59% of this country will let them count as family.

On the other hand, more Americans believe obesity is caused by crappy parenting — something fewer and fewer people are also willing to blame homosexuality on. Progress!

brian

The headline isn’t poorly worded, it’s interntionally worded to attract hits. The actual poll shows the main determinant of family is a marriage between two people regardless of their sex. Queerty finds this boring, so a fake controversy is engineered instead.

September 15, 2010 at 4:09pm

Chris

why does queerty hate dogs?

September 15, 2010 at 7:09pm

Steve

Q: Why do dogs lick their own crotches?

A: Because they can.

September 15, 2010 at 7:09pm

Samuel

vinnyc

” Dogs Who Lick Their Own Crotches” Qweerty writer is Canisphobe! This indignation against all Dogs- white brown black, yelow etc.- straight, bi or gay shall not go unanswered. Please support me in usurping this writer .

September 16, 2010 at 10:09am

Jeffree

More people own dogs than have gay family members, so the comparison made in the study is invalid!

The better comparison would be something like:
–Of the people who own one or more dog(s), how many consider them part of the family?
vs:
–Of the people who have one or more gay family members with a partner, how many consider them part of the family?

It’s not worded exactly right, but you get the idea.

—–
I’m always a little shocked when someone looks at his/her watch and says “Oops gotta go home & feed the kids” & they really mean to feed the dogs and or cats!